Spring structure



April 9, 1935. D. P. SCHRIER SPRING STRUCTURE Filed March 29, 1933 II4'IIIIIIIII/ P/fif //7 Men for 50/7 0/0 P Schr/er /4 2 form 65/ Patented Apr. 9, g 1935 Donald P.

Reynolds Spring SPRING STRUCTURE 7 Schrier, Jackson, Mich., assignor to,

Company, Jackson, Mich., a

corporation of Delaware Application March 29, 1933, Serial No. 663,407

2 Claims.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improvement over the border frame construction disclosed in Patent No. 1,665,539, to Falls, dated April 10, 1928.

Another object is to provide in a spring structure a border frame which is sufiiciently rigid and adequately supports the border row of spring coils.

A further object is to provide a border frame which is particularly adapted to be used in spring structures having an overhang.

Other objects will be brought out as the description progresses. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing: 7

Fig. 1 is a'fragmentary vertical section of a spring structure embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of my improved border frame.

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged cross sectional views of two preferred forms my invention may take.

In spring structures, particularly for automotive bodies, it is highly desirable that the border spring be supported, at the bottom border frame, as far under the usual overhang of the structure as possible. l-lerebefore the outside of the lower border frame has been; extended considerably beyond the top and bottom coils of the supported spring with the result that the overhang has been necessarily extended out from the top coil 2. corresponding additional distance in order to provide the necessary differential in top and bottom overall dimensions.

In the present invention the bottom spring coil has a bearing with the border frame extending substantially throughout the width of the same with the outside of the border frame in substantially the plane of the top and bottom coils of the supported spring. This is accomplished by rolling the sheet metal border frame with an overhanging lip constituted as a continuation of the outside of the frame and being folded upon itself in metal to metal contact.

Referring to the drawing, a fragmentary section of a well known spring structureis shown in Fig. l with body border springs I supported by a base comprising a bottom border frame 2. The top coils of the spring I are secured in a well known manner to'an upper border frame 3 from which an overhang frame 4 is supported. As shown, diagonal braces 5 assist in the support of the overhanging frame 4. With the exception of the border frame 2, all the foregoing construction is well known and forms no part of my invention except as it enters into com-' bination.

My improved border frame consists in a downwardly faced channel 6, fabricated from. sheet 7 metal, having vertical flanges turned inwardly 5 v at I to retain the tacking strip 8 of fiber wood or the like which completely fills, the channel. The outer side or flange 9 of the channel 6 is continued beyond the web l0 and folded upon itself into metal to metal contact to provide an 10 inwardly facing channel H having a lip portion l2,

As is apparent from Figs. 1 and 2, by extending the side 9 and having the folded portion constituting the channel H in metal to metal contact, not only is the rigidity of the frame increased, but the spring has more bearing upon the web Ii! of the channel 6 than is possible in the patent to Falls herebefore mentioned. Also, by having the folded portion in metal to metal contact, a deeper lip I2 is provided which facilitates and increases the effectiveness of the crimping or clamping of the coils ofthe spring I in the inwardly facing frame H, as shown at l3.

As will be readily apparent from inspection of. Fig. 1, the bottom coil of the spring I, which is clamped in the inwardly facing channel II, is only removed from the plane of the side 9 of the channel 6 by the doubled thickness of the sheet metal stock from which the channel is fabricated. This construction enables the overhang portion 4 to be reduced to a minimum with a corresponding reduction in the cantilever effect which frequently results in the distortion and breaking down of the structure during use. The overhang portion! is located at the front of the cushion construction and supports the occupants thigh. I

In Fig. 4 the inwardly facing channel is pro-. vided with a sharply defined right angle lip l5 which increases the rigidity of the section'and increases the depth of the lip.

It will be readily apparent that changes and modifications may be made in the above described construction and it is not my intention to be limited to the exact details disclosed; it being my intention to claim as part of my invention all such changes and variations which would occur to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the appended claims. 5

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters, Patent is:

1. A border frame for spring structures 'com-" I prising a downwardly facing sheet metal channel of rectangular cross section, a tacking stripjsubstantially filling said channel with the edges of the flanges of the channel folded inwardly upon the strip to retain the same in position and to expose the mid portion thereof, an integral inwardly facing clamping channel located above Said first channel for a part supported on the web of said first channel, said second channel being defined by said web and a continuation of said web and outer flange of the first channel folded uponitself in metal to metal contact with the web of the inwardly facing channel in the -v plane of said outer flange.

2. A border frame forspring structures com:

prising a downwardly facing sheet metal channel of rectangular cross section and an integral inwardly facing clamping channel for a part supported upon the web of said first channel, a

tacking strip with an exposed portion fixedly located in said first channel, said inwardly facing channel being defined by the web of said first channel anda continuation of the outer flange of said first channel folded longitudinally upon itself in metal to metal contact, the web of said second channel being located in the plane of the outer flange of said first channel.

' V DONALD P. SCHRIER. 

